


Drops of Jupiter

by faeryn



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Destiel - Freeform, M/M, No Dialogue, canon!verse, castiel is a galaxy, narrative fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-29
Updated: 2015-08-29
Packaged: 2018-04-17 19:47:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4679060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faeryn/pseuds/faeryn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Most humans think of angels as human shaped with wings, and those who know or think otherwise think of their true forms as multi-headed, multi-winged, ultimately humanoid celestial beings. This couldn't be further from the truth. </p><p>Dean asks Castiel about his true form, and Castiel shows him what angels are, truly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Drops of Jupiter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cuddle_me_carl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cuddle_me_carl/gifts).



>   
>  _"Now that she's back in the atmosphere_   
>  _I'm afraid that she might think of me as plain ol' Jane_   
>  _Told a story about a man who was too afraid to fly so he never did land"_   
> 

 

 

Most humans think of angels as human shaped with wings, and those who know or think otherwise think of their true forms as multi-headed, multi-winged, ultimately humanoid celestial beings. This couldn't be further from the truth. 

Castiel, for example, is a medium sized galaxy comprising of billions of stars, with a maroon nebula at its core containing little more than dust, and a plethora of ionized gases. Viewed through a high powered telescope, the nebula's most striking feature is a pair of bright blue stars near its core. 

Humans have been observing angels for centuries, first staring up at the sky and worshipping the stars and the moon, and then scientifically mapping their every detail using modern technology. They take note when a star winks out, never realizing that it signifies an angel's distress or injury. Unbeknownst to them, the angels look back. 

When an angel takes a vessel, their cluster of stars or nebulae don't simply wink out of existence, any more than they do when the angel dies, because only a portion of the angel's being - their Grace - can be contained in a human vessel. If an angel tried to squeeze their entire whole into a small, flesh-and-blood vessel, the results would be... catastrophic. Not only would they mean the vaporization of the vessel itself, but a widespread destructive force that would flatten anything in a huge radius. Angels have the capacity to learn, and they learned very quickly the effects of trying to inhabit a space not designed to contain them. The dinosaurs were... not so lucky. 

If an angel is killed while in a vessel, only their Grace is snuffed out - and this may mean the supernova of a few of their lesser stars, a stellar event that may pass unnoticed by humanity. They remain 'alive' in a manner of speaking, but unable to take another human vessel, unable to communicate with their siblings, unable to hear the Words of God, or feel the celestial energy that passes between them. Their Grace is what makes them an angel, what connects them, and though they continue to exist, many would argue that it is no kind of existence at all.

Castiel takes Dean to an observatory when Dean asks what his true form looks like. He easily talks his way into using the telescope, and finds his galaxy with ease - one thing taking a vessel can never remove from an angel is how to find their way home. Dean stares into the lens with awe, drinking in the sight of  _Castiel;_  every star, every miasmic swirl of space dust as fascinating to him as the man who stands beside him, close enough for Dean to smell him. And it makes sense now, how he doesn't smell human, how there's always a faint crackle of electricity in the air when he is around, reminding Dean of how less than human this celestial being truly is. Castiel is lightning in a bottle, contained but never truly  _tamed_. 

It takes his breath away. 

He finally manages to tear his eyes away from Castiel-the-galaxy to stare at Castiel-the-man and swallows thickly, overcome with emotion at the thought that this... this  _incredible cosmic being_  is choosing to spend his time here on Earth, here in the mundanity of everyday life, with  _him_. 

Dean takes Castiel in his arms and kisses him before he even thinks about it. His heart beats loudly in his chest, his blood rushing through his ears as he pours his love and gratitude into the movement of his lips. He no longer cares that Cas is in a male vessel - because what is a vessel in the face of a celestial body? He can't think of Cas as a man anymore, not now that he knows. He knows that Castiel could have anything he wanted, and he chooses Dean time after time after time. 

Castiel is surprised at first, but returns the kiss with equal enthusiasm, knowing that Dean prefers actions over words, and using their connection to tell him he's precious, he's worthwhile, he's  _loved_. 

And if Dean stares up at the sky more often now, a peaceful and content look on his face, if he takes Castiel's hand and strokes it reverently while he drives, if he uses the telescope in the bunker to stare up at Castiel again and again, awestruck by his beauty both on Earth and in the heavens, then who can blame him? It's their secret, something Castiel only wishes to share with the man he loves, the man he gives up his celestial body for. Sam doesn't press, he is just happy his brother is happy. He lets them have their secret, because as long as Dean has Castiel, life is... better. 

Early humans were right to call the sky the heavens. Because Heaven is where the angels live, watching, waiting, forever observing their charges from the vastness of space. Except for Castiel. For his Heaven is on earth, with his hunter and his brother-in-arms, and nothing, nothing could make him give that up. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this little scrabble! Cuddle_me_carl wanted a fic written around the image, and I just couldn't resist scratching this out (when I was procrastinating doing something else, hahaha.)
> 
> Come find me [on Tumblr!](http://faeryn.tumblr.com) Or on [my writing blog!](http://faerynfics.tumblr.com)


End file.
